“Inspector Hornleigh: Where is Mr. Gordon? Keyhole Charlie: In the bar, Inspector, I'll take you along. Inspector Hornleigh: Thank you - it isn't necessary. I never had any difficulty finding my way to a bar yet.” Hahaha. A good way to find consolation in all things after too much reality living (even a little can be a little too much sometimes, and a little break is good). Have you ever seen the Inspector Hornleigh films? The British semi-wartime detective/mystery trilogy is based on an radio series by Hans Wolfgang Priwin, and features Gordon Harker in the starring role with Alistair Sim as his Scottish sidekick, Sergeant Bingham. Each one - "Inspector Hornleigh" (1938), "Inspector Hornleigh Goes on Holiday" (1939), and "Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It" (1940/41) - is an absolute delight to discover, even if the film is aged and blurry and there's that stage-like, echoing silence between scenes and music so characteristic of the times.
Much like the 'Thin Man' films, these are darkly thrilling, suspenseful mysteries relieved by light humour and endearingly humorous main characters, a twinkly noirish silver. Sim's performances are so characteristically himself, awkwardly sadly ridiculous, vivid, and beautifully spoken, but the films have given me an especially affectionate admiration for Harker, a slim quicksilver mover with an unassuming but alert face, who gives Hornleigh a bright intelligence and cunning as well as a sweet naive foolishness and great self-deprecating humour, delivering brilliant twinkling repartee with anyone else he meets. The balance between humour and mystery can be odd to some, but it works so well for these films - "What a Carve Up!" (1961) - also comes to mind. This busy, flushed-sun-lotioned-cheek summer makes me long for those days when the clouds and rains fill the trees outside our windows and you can snuggle in at home from the wintery cold in perfect tranquil peace and watch these movies, perfect for any season Xo
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